Understanding the Bone Marrow Donation Process: What to Expect and Why It Matters

Hi, I have read this article in The Hindu newspaper and found it useful, so I just thought of sharing it with you.

Bone Marrow Donation Process

1. The donor expresses commitment to donate bone marrow whenever and wherever the call comes from.

2. Blood is tested for HIV, Hepatitis, syphilis, and Malaria.

3. If clear, then the blood or buccal swab (from the inside of your cheek) is sent for HLA (Human Leucocyte Antigens) typing.

4. A search request for the bone marrow donor comes from the transplant physician.

5. A search is initiated for an HLA match in the registries.

6. Five days before the donation, the donor is required to take an injection which will mobilize the bone marrow from the stem cells to the blood.

7. Tests are done periodically to see if the necessary stem cells are present in the blood.

8. Once the donor is ready, they donate the blood, which is sent through an apheresis machine that separates the stem cells and sends the blood back to the donor through the other hand.

Bone marrow transplants are sometimes the only life-saving interventions for people with certain conditions like blood cancer, blood disorders, and some genetic diseases.

Thanks for your info, but nowadays, stem cell banking is becoming very popular in India.

Why is Cord Blood so Valuable?

Cord blood is the blood left over in the umbilical cord and placenta after the birth of a baby. This blood has been found to be an extremely rich source of stem cells. These stem cells can now be used as an alternative to embryonic, bone marrow, and other stem cell types. There are no ethical controversies surrounding stem cells derived from the umbilical cord as the umbilical cord and placenta are usually discarded after birth.

Your baby's cord blood is a valuable source of stem cells that could be used to treat many life-threatening diseases and medical conditions. The value and benefits of umbilical cord blood stem cells are great as stem cells have saved many lives so far, and medical researchers are exploring new uses for umbilical cord blood stem cells in treating diabetes, heart disease, and stroke.

Banking your baby's cord blood means the potential to save lives in the future, offering a form of biological insurance for your child and possibly other family members.

Regards.

Thank you very much for sharing. I would highly recommend members enroll, as they would be helping others whose only way out of the illness is a bone marrow (BM) transplant.

I know of a few cases: one myelofibrosis sufferer had his enlarged spleen removed and is recovering after the BM transplant 6 months ago; another one has not found a suitable donor and is living with the disease with God's mercy.

I really did not know about it and how useful it is. People should be educated through campaigns just as we do about blood donation.

People can read more about Bone Marrow Donation at NHSBT - British Bone Marrow Registry.

Bone Marrow Transplantation: A Vital Cure

Bone marrow transplantation is a very important method to cure certain blood-related diseases. MP Shah Cancer, Ahmedabad, performed 27 BMTs this year, with only one resulting in death—a 60-year-old individual with pneumonia. This outcome indicates excellent development.

In comparison, the UK conducted 4,000 BMTs while Gujarat performed only 27, despite having similar populations. This stark difference highlights the need for awareness in our region. It is evident that we are now as efficient as the UK in certain technologies; however, we still lag behind due to a lack of awareness and some constraints. It is crucial for us to increase awareness and address these constraints to improve our situation.